Ditchling beacon single speed?

[Tankengine]

Hi guys,
I'm thinking of having a go at riding london-brighton sometime in the next couple of weekends. Ridden about 45/50 miles in a go before so it will be a new mileage!

Got a route that takes me over ditchling beacon, I've read a lot of people saying its a killer etc. the road bike I've got is single speed, pretty light and I'm used to riding it up some smaller hills (probably between 7-9% gradients) on it and also used to getting off and walking shamefully uphill and trying to get further next time...!

What is the gradient for ditchling? And realistic/doable on a single speed or not really??

 

[Dogtrousers]

Ditchling climbs ~130m in ~1.5km or ~425ft in ~1 mile.
Gradient is ~9% But it's a lumpy hill with flatter and steeper bits, so maybe peaking at 10 or 11%
I generally ride up it on single speed. The single speed in question being my 28" bottom gear.

 

[Beebo]

If you're a fit and capable single speed rider then it is do-able but it depends on what gear ratio you have.
It comes towards the end of the ride, so you'll be into new mileage territory as well as long/big hill territory.
My advice would be to give it a go, and walk if you need to.

 

[rb58]

I've also fancied doing it on fixed, the problem is having to ride the 50 odd miles before you start the climb. Other than that, I'd say it was do-able for me on my 67" gear. And there are several riders of this parish who have done it. It'll be a grind though.

 

[sreten]

Hi,

I think the graphic says it all about the London to Brighton ride.
Not a ride I'd be looking to extend my mileage, realistically if
you don't wan't to walk up the hill, which sensibly you should.

rgds, sreten.

 

[slowmotion]

I have done it a couple of times on a triple. I engage my granny ring at the bottom and switch to the biggest cog on the cassette....and go up from the car park at the bottom to the wooden sign at the summit on a 26" gear. I found it blooming hard. Nowhere to go with the gears so you just concentrate on the torture.

I'll try again in ten days time and see how it goes. BTW, beware the false summit

All the best.

 

[PK99]

Hi,

I think the graphic says it all about the London to Brighton ride.
Not a ride I'd be looking to extend my mileage, realistically if
you don't wan't to walk up the hill, which sensibly you should.

rgds, sreten.

The graphic does not show the reality of Ditchling, which is (IIRC) 7 hills/steep bits linked by much easier grades - back in the day these were level for the horses pulling the carts to rest on before tackling the next slope, treat it the same way and ease the effort off on the linking bits and it becomes a much easier challenge.

 

[slowmotion]

The graphic does not show the reality of Ditchling, which is (IIRC) 7 hills/steep bits linked by much easier grades - back in the day these were level for the horses pulling the carts to rest on before tackling the next slope, treat it the same way and ease the effort off on the linking bits and it becomes a much easier challenge.

That's what I was told too.

It seems utter bollocks when you ride it though....

 

[sreten]

Hi,

Well FWIW I live in Brighton and have talked to cyclists that have done the London to Brighton.
They all say the same thing, Ditchling Beacon is an utter killer 50 miles into the ride, completely.
They don't pace themselves to be able to deal with it, even if they could if they did, except of
course the real racer types who know all about it, and they don't use singlespeeds.

Distance:
1.5 km
Elev Gain:
154 m
Elev Change:
133 m
Avg Grade:
9.1 %
Max Grade:
36.6 %

To go up 154m whilst going up and down 133m in 1.5km is hideously hard.

rgds, sreten.

 

[slowmotion]

Hi,

Well FWIW I live in Brighton and have talked to cyclists that have done the London to Brighton.
They all say the same thing, Ditchling Beacon is an utter killer 50 miles into the ride, completely..

Distance:
1.5 km
Elev Gain:
154 m
Elev Change:
133 m
Avg Grade:
9.1 %
Max Grade:
36.6 %

To go up 154m whilst going up and down 133m in 1.5km is hideously hard.

rgds, sreten.

On Ditchling you don't go down at all. It's all up. There are short stretches of steep bits and the short sections of less steep bits, but no downhill bits. It's only a mile long. A lot of rubbish is talked about it, not least by me actually.

BTW, they improved the tarmac about a year ago. That made it a lot less daunting.

It's a short quite steep hill. Give it a go.

 

[sreten]

Hi,

Yes, well up and down is a bit like how long is the coastline, the harder you look the longer it is.

Its a ludicrous statement it monotonically increases, that there are no downs.

http://veloviewer.com/segment/770191/Ditchling Beacon

Completely disagrees.

rgds, sreten.

Picking a day with the wind in your back would be a good idea.

 

[slowmotion]

Have you actually been there?
Leave your computer graphics shoot at the bottom of the hill and get on your pedals.

Please report back.

 

[sreten]

Have you actually been there?
Leave your computer graphics **** at the bottom of the hill and get on your pedals.

Please report back.

Hi,

I've driven up both sides of the hill enough times to know I wouldn't remotely
fancy it on a bike, and find your attitude stunningly, pompously, pretentious.

And no practical use to the OP whatsoever.

You disagree with all the London to Brighton bikers I've talked to ?

rgds, sreten.

 

[rb58]

Hi,

I've driven up both sides of the hill enough times to know I wouldn't remotely
fancy it on a bike, and find your attitude stunningly, pompously, pretentious.

And no practical use to the OP whatsoever.

You disagree with all the London to Brighton bikers I've talked to ?

rgds, sreten.

With respect, driving up Ditchling Beacon or fancy graphics does not qualify you to say how hard or easy it is on a bike. Usually, when people refer to The Beacon, they are referring to the climb from north to south (from the car park at the bottom, to the car park at the top). So, @slowmotion is correct - there are no downhill sections on the climb itself. The downhill to Brighton after the climb (not shown in your last graphic BTW) is tremendous and is your just reward for the effort, but beware of the kick-up by the golf course which can catch you by surprise and be a tough stretch after the main climb. I can tell you, having ridden up Ditchling many times (with gears), that it is a tough-ish hill, not because of the gradient, but because the steep ramps referred to above prevent you getting into a good rhythm. It also plays with your mind as on one of the bends you emerge from the trees and that makes you think you've reached the top. You haven't. The 'Horses' warning triangle is the sign that you're almost there.

That said, it's not stupidly tough and in many ways its bark is worse than its bite. This may stem from its reputation amongst BHF London to Brighton riders many of whom may not be regular cyclists, and who would find it a significant challenge after 50 miles.

As to the OP's original question, is it doable on SS/fixed, it will very much depend on your gearing and legs, but I have seen it done. Indeed, I quite fancy having a go myself and am confident I would achieve it (on 67").

As to the alternatives, there is the infamous cycle path alongside the A23, best reached by coming over Clayton Hill (A273 south of Hassocks) and then cutting through Pycombe village on the South Downs Way. [Actually, the path isn't that bad and does give you a flat, albeit noisy, run in to Brighton]. Or Devil's Dyke, although that's further West, will require you to deviate significantly from the traditional L2B route, and is probably no easier than The Beacon (I've only ridden it towards Brighton once and found it a little scary because of the blind summits and speed of the cars).

 

[theclaud]

I've seen it done on a bmx. And a tall bike.

These are not necessarily recommendations, but they were quite something to behold.